Sources: NYCFC seek homegrown claim on Wake Forest star Jack Harrison

According to several sources, NYCFC are looking to claim Wake Forest midfielder and 2014-15 Gatorade Player of the Year Jack Harrison as their first Homegrown Player.

Harrison, 19, is a highly touted freshman at Wake Forest and a Manchester United academy product. His connection to NYCFC? Playing with NYCFC youth affiliate Manhattan Soccer Club for the past three years. Sources tell EoS that NYCFC hope the affiliate association this past season will be enough to qualify him as a Homegrown Player under the constructs of MLS.

That argument, however, will face stiff resistance. In order to qualify as a Homegrown, Harrison must show that he has participated at the club’s youth development system for at least a year. His work under the NYCFC affiliate could qualify for that standard, but that judgment remains in the hands of MLS. There are also other, unspecified league rules that go into the Homegrown title, leaving Harrison’s status under review by the league.

While NYCFC and MLS are knocking at his door, several clubs in Europe are also pursuing his services, including teams in England and Germany. Even with all that interest, it is unknown whether Harrison will decide to leave Wake Forest to pursue a pro career.

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If MLS let’s NYCFC sign him to a homegrown deal based on that very tenuous affiliation, the league has even less credibility than its detractors think it does.

DivintyHope

Its not a tenuous affiliation, which is why clubs do it in Europe. If he did play on the Academy team for the last 3 years, with one being when the affiliation was made in 2014, then he should be a HG player.

Smith

It was a youth club affiliate not an an Academy team or a reserve side. It’s a stretch.

DivintyHope

Affiliations are about of an academy program. Which is why Yedlin and Morris can claim to be HG players for seattle, yet only spent 1-2 years playing for them.